Alice Awakens
by ironau
Summary: A young girl awakens to her new powers, new life, new world, and new responsibility. First person point of view. No beta. Completed
1. The Best Vacation Ever

This is an original work of fiction so nobody can sue me :P

It is written from First perspective.

It is rated R for violence and sexual situation. This work is not a citrus product of any sort (lemon or lime).

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The Best Vacation Ever

* * *

New York City was cold like all cities in the Northeast a week before Christmas, but it was alive with warm as well. Decorations were everywhere, and the holiday displays in the shop windows were amazing as always.

I was alive and happy. My mother and I were going to spend Christmas and New Years in NYC. We live in Nantucket actually and this was going to be the best Christmas vacation ever. We spent our days shopping in SoHo, Canal street, NoHo, Fifth Ave, the Village, Times Square, China town, Canal street. Did I mention Canal street twice? Well, it is worth mentioning twice because if you want Jewelry that is where you can find it and the prices are great. Constantly waiting to get buzzed in while standing in the cold is not so much fun, but the street vendors are ready with warm pretzels and nuts to help ward off the chill.

It had been a successful day of shopping. Tomorrow was Christmas and we were heading back to the hotel. I had bought several pieces necklace, bracelet, earring sets, one each in emerald & ruby, ruby, sapphire & diamond, and sapphire, new strappy red shoes with 3 inch heels, black knee high boots, a great black felt fedora, a long black wool trench coat, and this stunning backless red dress with gold and silver embroidery down the left side, and a mid thigh slit up the right. Mom didn't get nearly as much she was just having fun shopping with me.

The other half of my genetics had paid for the plane tickets, hotel and gave us quite a bit of spending cash. He is an investment banker in California happily married with 3 kids and a wonderful wife with a house in the hills. Yes, Beverly hills. Mom was is a working girl who got charmed into his bed while he was in Boston. One blissful business trip and nine months latter I was born. Don't get me wrong my father isn't a cruel heartless guy. We do live in Nantucket. My mom doesn't clean hotel rooms any more. Our house is paid for, and we get more than enough to live.

So for a poor immigrant from Japan my mother had a fairy tale romance and is living like a princess. She just can't ever mention to anybody who my dad really is. I've never seen him, I haven't even ever heard his voice. I do know his name and address and telephone number, but I never call or write. If he doesn't want to see me then I don't want to see him.

My father was the topic of conversation as we walked back to the hotel. My mom still overjoyed with our Christmas gift this year and me once again expressing my frustration with being so easily excluded from his life. I still can't understand never wanting to see or talk with your child. It doesn't make any sense to me and I still hold that against the man.

It was so sudden when it happened. Screeching tires, which aren't uncommon in NYC, then a shove into an alley. I was scared and confused. we were pushed and herded about fifty feet down the alley by 5 guys. They were all big, weight lifter or athletes. The first was white and held an aluminum baseball bat. the second was black and had a pipe. The third I couldn't see well. He wasn't as dark as the second nor as white as the first; he had a gun. The fourth was white as well and had a knife. The last was Hispanic and had a machete. He was also the smallest at about six feet tall half as wide again as I am. I'm only five feet six inches. A gorgeous five foot six, but with only a hundred and eight pounds of weight there was nothing to due but become victim. Mom was smaller than me. She barely touched five feet, but she weigh the same I did and together we probably didn't weigh as much as one of these guys. They took our bags, purses and the jewelry we were wearing. Then the first guy says there is still something he wants and turns his evil lecherous eye to me. He saunters up stripping me with his eyes as the other four laugh. I know what is coming I'm about to get raped and worse still in front of my mom. Panic sets in and my mind visions tunnels in on the approaching rapist.

My mom is crying, begging and pleading for them not to do this. He takes a knife out of his coat pocket. He tells me to remove my hat and gloves, so I do. Then I remove the coat when he demands it. His grin gets wider and his cohorts agree this is something they want too as the all start looking over my body. I'm trim and athletic but not heavily muscled. My chest is big for an half Asian girl but not large enough to look wrong such a small frame. May waist is small which helps accentuate my hips and chest. I can feel the cold as the trails of my tears freeze in the night air.

My vision is blocked suddenly as my mom put herself in front of me. She is still pleading looking left and right for any sign that even one of them might give in to her pleas. She is looking right when the first guy raises his bat in his left hand. I can't scream, or yell or move. All I can do is watch as he delivers a hard backhand swing with the bat to my mom's head and neck. She stumbles to the right and turns bleary eyes towards the attack. I stare at my mom with my hands at my mouth. Inside I'm tormented I wish I could stuff my hands down my throat a pull a scream out. That is the only thing that can save either of us. There is a flash of light to my mom's left and I see the machete move. It is a quick and fast stroke, well practiced. It travels from my mom's left waist across and out on just under her right breast.

My mom's knees fold, her but lands on her heels and she falls backwards. Her stomach is split open. Only gravity and her arms are keeping he intestines inside and that isn't working to well either. Everything slows down as I watch my mother finish hitting the ground. The colors are more alive and vivid. The smells are stronger, more potent and do not blend. I can smell the blood from my mother. I can smell the lust from the men, I can smell the threes cans of tuna in the second garbage bag on my right.

I taste my own blood as I bite my fingers. And then I scream blood from my fingers still dripping onto my tongue. The first guy is named Harold and he is afraid of the dark and closed spaces. The second guy is Jacob and he hates school; fourth grade to be exact. The third guy Eric he wants to be a woman. The fourth guy is John he has a fear of falling. The last guy is Julio and he hates being poor and hungry. I use this knowledge about each person to extract my revenge.

Julio is tied to a bed, naked and covered in hot sauce. His mother, girl friend, 3 sisters are eating him. Not politely with a knife and fork, but tearing with large fangs and sharp nails. As the finish arm or a leg or his heart and move somewhere to try to slack their undying hunger, his body grows back replaying all the pain in reverse, until that part of his body is fully restored. By then somebody else has finished and starts anew on his just restored part.

John is falling, always falling towards a grate full of sharp blades like the knife he wields. He lands on the grate and feels every puncture, every slice. he hit the bottom of the grate and slides through once again falling towards a grate full of sharp blades.

Eric is a woman, just like he wants. He is being raped by Harold, Jacob, John and Julio. Their penises are two feet long and barbed. He can feel the rip and shred him as he gets abused. The worst part is he likes it; this is what he wants.

Jacob is in fourth grade, he is getting teased and bullied, by the girls in his class. They tease him about his teeth and his nose. They tease him about the fact that he still wets his pants, and about the old worn corduroy pants with the knee patches. He sits balled in the corner crying, begging and pleading with them to stop in his wet worn corduroy pants. They don't stop.

Harold is now blind, he can't see and it is dark. But he can feel. He feels the tight press of heavy latex all around his body. It is tight and it is dark and his mind is bordering on collapse. Then he realizes he can't breath. There is no air. He tears and claws at the latex. Mere moments before he suffocates; he breaks through and greedily gulps down several breaths of air and looks up at the open sky. his relief makes him forget the latex, because he knows he can get out now. Then it closes, slowly millimeter by millimeter. He struggles to keep it open but he just can't. It closes and traps him again in it's dark closed confines, suffocating him once more.

Screams!! I heard screams. I removed my bloody hands from my mouth and realize that I never screamed. The screams are coming from the five guys. they are all on the ground screaming. The fifth, fourth and third guys are lying on their backs screaming. the second is sitting in a fetal position and whimpering. The first is lying as if he were in a coffin and struggling against some invisible bond that is restraining him.

I run. I run away. I run away farther down the alley away from the street. I can't be seen.

It is cold. It is really, really cold. I run down some steps. Seven steps and try the door. It opens and it isn't as cold.

I run. I run down a tunnel I don't know where it leads. I don't care as long as it is away.

I tire. I slow. I lean against a wall. I slide down the wall and cry. I am tired. I am cold. I am lost. I am hungry. I am alone.

I killed five men. Rather I designed and locked each one into his own inescapable torment. That is worse then killing them because now they will not know peace.

I smile. That makes me happy. I am revolted. How is that happy? How could I believe they deserved that? How did I do that?

Police, they are searching. They have a dog. How do I know they are coming? How do I know they have a dog? I'm tired, but I have to run. I wish the dog was as tired as I am. I move farther down the tunnel. The tunnel splits so I go left, the sinister direction. It is where I belong.

There is a ladder. Up or down, which way should I go? Up to the light where it is warm. The ladder is blocked by a grate. I push. I shove and it moves. I slide it out of the way and climb out. It is cold. I forgot it is winter. Should I go back down and starve or should I stay here and freeze.

"Hello Ms. are you all right? You look really cold. Here take this." A blanket is draped around me and I look around. There is a young nun standing beside me. she has her arm wrapped around my shoulders keeping the blanket in place and pulling me into her warmth. "You are freezing dear. You look hungry and tired comeback to the Mission and have some food. We can get you some different clothes that aren't ripped and torn." My clothes are ripped and torn? I look down and see that it is true. The legs of my jeans are shredded, my blouse has lost every button, and my bra is ripped. When did that happen? They didn't touch me did they? they must have.

I'm led down the street just a little ways, up some stairs and into the mission. It's a soup kitchen and I garner some stares as I am led in. A priest and another nun escort me from the lady who saved me. They bring me to a table and sit down. They ask several questions, but I don't answer. My rescuer brings me food a vegetable rich minestrone and bread which I devour without grace or manners. I've got two blankets now, but I don't know when I got the second. Only the first lady is with me know the others have left. The priest is talking with other patrons and the other nun is nowhere in site.

"Yes, I believe we have found an assault victim. … That is the correct address. … About five foot six Asian female. … No she doesn't have identification and we can not get her to talk. … Yes, I see. We will keep her here until your folks arrive. … Yes I understand no showers, no washing. Even if she goes to the bathroom? could she at least wash her hands. … Oh, I see. … Yes, I would like to see whom ever did this put away as well." I snap my head left, then right searching for the voice. I can't see her, but I can hear her. It was the second nun.

There she is walking down the stairs. She stops and talks to the priest, but I can not hear what they are saying. It is very strange, why could I hear her before? I've got to leave, they've called the cops, but the door is all the way across the room. Past all those people that leered at me when I was brought inside. There has to be another way out. Maybe that door behind the food tables. Three priest walks to the door and steps outside, the nun he was talking to walks over here and sits down. They both look at me deeply concerned, they are talking to each other and asking questions of me. Why can't I hear her now when she is right in front of me? Why could I hear her when she was upstairs? It doesn't make sense. They are both shaking their head with deep concern and sadness showing in their eyes.

The Priest walks back in with three police officers, one of which is female. The two nuns look at the officers and stand. The priest starts to lead them over. I've got to leave, I've got to run. The two nuns stand to wave to the officers and their backs turn to me. So I crouch down and slip behind the food tables. The servers are to busy to notice me as I slip behind them their focus is on help the poor and homeless in line. I slide into the doorway to the kitchen. There is a short hallway and another door. I turn the handle and glance over my shoulder. The officers are just reaching the nuns. I slide into the kitchen.

Wow it's cold in the kitchen. And full of snow, and garbage, and rats. This isn't the kitchen it's an alleyway. The tire tracks in the snow show how the food arrives, by truck. I glance left and see one of the police cars, so I move right. I climb a fence and crunch into the snow. I take off running.

I stop and slow before walking into the street. I'm still lost. I don't know this city. This doesn't look like Manhattan. The buildings are only 3 stories tall mostly made of white brick. Cute little black iron fences ring the three foot deep yard in front of each. Tall black fencing surrounds each of the shade trees on the street to prevent dogs from using them as toilets. Judging by the amount of yellow snow it doesn't work.

These are town houses, so they are built right next to each other. That means there should be a service way behind them. I turn the corner onto a more busy street. I can see far down the road the towering buildings of Manhattan, so I guess I am still in Manhattan. I find the service way and walk into it. My feet once again crunch into the snow as I leave the shoveled side walk. I walk down the alley and the dumpsters are full. there is a coach discarded next to one, and it doesn't have any snow on it. I sit down and rest. I fold the blankets around me better.

There is a lamp sticking out of the dumpster, so I look in. It isn't full of household garbage, but boxes of stuff like spring cleaning or something. I start digging through it and find clothes, CDs, books, packages of ramen, curtains. It seems somebody was moving out, or got tossed out. I guess I'm not the only one having a bad Christmas. I remove a gray ribbed cotton shirt, three bras from Victoria's and coordinated panties which still smell like detergent, fine gray wool slacks, and a white gray cardigan, and a pair of warm insulated socks. The socks won't match well and neither will my sneakers, but it is a lot better than what I have on now. I change under the blankets. I grab a book huddle under the blankets and start reading.

"Ma'am, you can't stay here, this is for residents only." I look up and see another of NYC finest.

I slowly move the blankets to the side as the cop tenses and places a had on his night stick. I stand up slowly. "I live here.", I state simply as the cop looks me up and down.

"Wha's your name then, and why are you out in the cold." he responds.

"I got into a fight with my Mom, and stormed out. I live right there, but we are moving soon." I droop my shoulders and cast my face down. "My name is Alice by the way. Is it alright if I stay here for a while longer? I just can't stand to see her right now."

"Wha' d'aya get in a fight about on Christmas eve?" he says as he sits down on the couch.

I sit as well. "Boys and sex and stuff" I mumble as I pull the blankets back around myself.

"Ah," he sighs as he leans back into the couch. "I just had the same fight with my daughter. It's tough on both sides, but the worst thing is seeing the anger in your kids eyes. nothing hurts worse than that. Well I've got'ta keep going. Take care and don't stay out here to long it's cold and you don't want to get sick." I'll be back in a couple of hours if you feel like talking." He gets up, smiles and continues down the alley. I just continue to read. It felt good to talk to somebody again. He was nice. I hope he and his daughter made up.

I finish that book and 4 others before the cops shows up again. He stops and sits back down. He examines the stack of books. "I hope you aren't planning to read all of these before you go back inside.", he jokes thought a smirking mouth.

"No, I've read those already. These are just old books somebody threw into the dumpster" I state as I flip the page of the book I'm currently absorbed in reading

"You read all these in the three hours since I was last here? That is 10 inches of books and these are easy books, I've seen these titles on my son's college reading list. … You don't want to go back to your mom tonight do you? he inquires with a chord of sadness and regret in his voice.

I flip the page "No, not tonight. I don't think I could stand to see here again tonight." I flip the page of the book again. "So I guess you are still fighting with your daughter? You probably should just let her have her space for now." and I flip the page again.

"Yeah, I know I've been doing that for the past week. I just want her to be happy at Christmas that is all. Right now it doesn't look like she will be. You've flipped 5 pages since I've been here, you can't read that fast. Or have you already read these books before?"

"No, I've never read them before." I flip the page and find the beginning of a new chapter, so I summarize the last ten pages to him, and hand him the book. "you can read it if you want to see I'm not lying" I challenge.

He gives a hearty laugh, much like you always picture Santa Claus. "No thank you. I became a cop because I couldn't stand books, I'd much rather throw them at people. How old are you by the way?"

I take the book back and begin the next chapter. "Sixteen", I reply while I continue to read.

"Same age as my daughter. Here let me get you some more books from this old thing, and I'll take you down to a run away shelter. You can stay there for the night with now questions asked. The counselors are off tomorrow, so you won't likely face lots of questions until the 26th, though I hope you go home before that." He says as he stands and grabs a duffel bag from the dumpster and loads some books into it. "There is lots of nice stuff in here, heck these people are throwing out a couch that is worth more than my entire living room set. Well here you go, 30 inches of more books. Come on lets go you need someplace warm to sleep." He takes my book and tugs me to my feet. I grab my blankets and follow, while he carries the books.

We walk in silence for about 14 streets, until we arrive at his cruiser. He opens the door and let me in. He drives me uptown to a runway shelter. I thank him and get out. He waves and drives off, his shift over. I walk in the door.

It smells musty and run down in here. Old musty furniture fills the first floor. Dilapidated couches, a mix of round and square tables with an odd assortment of chairs around each fill the space and form two general areas. An old TV sits on a shelf in the corner, with tow bent wire frame coat hangers for antenna becoming the focus of the seating area. The tables seem to be arranged more for eating, and are two far away from the TV for comfortable watching. The room is empty this late at night. I'm greeted a bit after I walk in by a late teen or early twenties girl. She asks my name and I reply. I don't catch her name when she says it. She takes me to small room with two triple bunk beds and a naked circular florescent light in the ceiling. I'm informed that both bottom bunks are taken, Melissa and Bethany respectively left and right. I can choose any of the remaining four. Each bed is numbered and there is a locker between the bed with matching numbers for your use. They don't lock so don't put anything in there you don't want to risk loosing. The doors lock only from the inside, so anybody could wander in when everybody is out. I thank her and take the top bunk above Bethany. I crack open my book and begin reading.

Dawn finds me in an empty room, neither room mate seems to have come home last night. I finished all of the books and reread three during the night. I couldn't sleep for fear that I might dream. I can't control my dreams and I'm sure they would show me nothing but earlier this night.

I wonder down stairs where there is breakfast being served. Breakfast is pancakes and syrup. Good warm comfort food, exactly what I need right now. The local ABC affiliate is on the TV. Everybody on TV is dressed up and looking happy. Some guy wanders down and wishes everybody a Merry Christmas and receives similar happy greetings in return. They all ignore the weird Asian girl watching the TV.

The new show mentions a horrible murder that happened down town last night. Apparently a middle aged elderly woman was eviscerated and left to die in an alley. This puts a quick hush to the cheerful mood that had existed. A tall black guy stands up and turns the TV off, just as my picture is displayed on the screen. "Ah, we don't need to hear this type of news on Christmas." he replies gruffly. "Look everybody, I know it ain't much but I have something for each of you. It's just a package of holiday m&ms, but at least you get to unwrap it. My boss was about to send it back to the factory for a refund when I bought the three boxes from him, so it didn't cost much." He starts handing out the candy to everybody. The happy mood returns to each face with the candy. I get up to leave.

The big guy catches up to me at the door just before I pull it open. "Hey don't leave with out your candy. I know you just got here but it is something at least to bring some cheer to you on this day."

I accept the candy and pull the door open. "Thank you, but it won't help. That was my mom on the news program. It was five guys, she got cut while trying to stop them from raping me." I look up into his stunned face, and pull the door closed behind me.

I walked to the corner and turned left to avoid having to wait for the light to cross the road. I continued on and turned left again to head back where I came from to try and throw off any pursuit. It didn't work.

"Hey wait up, I'm Tony". He said as he jogged up besides me. "The whole city is looking for you. You didn't do that to your mom did you." I didn't answer. "No you said there were five guys. Funny the news show didn't mention them at all. It did say that they didn't believe you were dangerous, but warned about confronting you since you were likely very traumatized."

More silence followed as Tony struggled to find something to say. I just kept walking. "I don't even know what to say. I couldn't even imagine seeing that happen. Look I work at a deli by 64th street and Second Ave. If you want to talk stop by I'll find the time." With that he stopped turned and walked away. I continued on until I came to a bridge, well the underside of one at least. I slipped through a whole in the fence and started walking down the road. I stopped by a bunch of homeless people gathered around barrel burning wood. They silently made room. I said nothing and just enjoyed the heat. The conversation today focused on which shelter was going to have the best Christmas dinner.

A the second dawn occurred, that is the dawn where the sun appears over the buildings rather than just lighting the sky. Everybody began their slow trek to their desired, shelter sponsored dinner. I was invited by twice to come with them, but I remained silent. I like silence it isn't screams. It wasn't long before they all left and my life was changed once again.

A swirl of snow, like a little tornado and then he was standing there. Tall six feet or so like my attackers, but he was thin not muscle bound. He spoke with out moving his lips. The words, images, scents, feelings all appeared in my mind. "You are troubled", the five guys writhing on the ground in pain came to my mind, the smell of their terror and the scent of their urine, the abject horror and terror of that moment. "I can help", images of my mother and our shopping trip, the smell of fresh bags and hot pretzels, the joy and hope embodied by me anticipation of the holidays to come.

He was in my mind. He was reading my mind. Panic again welled to the surface. His name was Jonathan. Jonathan Cross and he was a witch. No, he is a Mage. His greatest fear was failure. His failure to protect the nine. Only the nine could protect against the upcoming evil. Reflexively I sought to bind him in his fear the way I did my five attackers, but I couldn't for him to fail I had to die. I couldn't kill myself, so I ran.

The world slowed once more. The papers took longer to fall, and the wind blew them more slowly. But not him, he didn't slow. He kept after me. He wasn't slowed, he was actually faster than me. Then I hit a wall that was not there. It was on all sides, it was square and it had a top and a bottom. I could not pass through, but I could still feel the breeze. He turned and faced me.

He held my purse at arms length then he slowly placed it on the ground. He spoke and his lips moved, "This is your purse it has 2500 dollars in it. In your purse you will also find a hotel key. The room the key opens is paid for two weeks. There is also a one way first class ticket to Seattle. I run a school there and you have a place at that school. I can teach you to control what has awakened in you. The ticket is fully exchangeable, so you can switch it to Boston if you wish. The price difference should be enough to get you back to Nantucket. The choice you face is yours. You should know that I can help. I bear you no ill will. There is also a piece of paper with two phone numbers. The first is a limo company which has been prepaid to drive you to Kennedy Airport. The second is the number for the school in case you have any questions. I'll be leaving now, and you will be released once I go. Take care and keep yourself safe." He just disappeared, no wind, no sound, no swirl of snow.

I stumbled forward as the wall disappeared and I gathered my purse. He was telling the truth. Cash in tens, twenties and fifties, a hotel key to a room in the Marriott Marquis, one plane ticket and piece of paper with two phone numbers. I left the bridge, took out my metro card and took the T. Oops subway I'm in New York not Boston. I got out on Broadway and walked into the Marquis. I pressed floor 30 and rode the elevator up. I found my room and keyed into it. It was a beautiful and it had a Times Square view.


	2. Finding Alice

This is an original work of fiction so nobody can sue me :P

It is written from First perspective.

It is rated R for violence and sexual situation. This work is not a citrus product of any sort (lemon or lime).

The world and the setting are not mine, so without getting a bunch of legal things signed (not likely) this remains fanfiction even if it is only a fan of the setting.

Dreams

I sit on the bed in my room at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. I look out the window to a very expensive view of Times Square. People move in the streets below so small you can't see one from the other. The could just be little colored dots instead. Even the cars are small from 30 stories up. The boring repetitiveness of the motion starts to lull me to sleep, so I turn on the TV. I can't sleep because that would be to dream. I can't dream because that would be to relive.

I flip past the hotel channel and stop on some news show. The clock the news show is displaying reads five past eleven so it is some afternoon talk show disguised as news. It is prerecorded of course, since this is Christmas day. They discuss some spending and school revitalization plan some local politician is promoting. It is good enough it keeps me awake and I'm too scared to fall asleep. It has been a day and a half since I last slept. but I can't think about that day and a half.

I get up and close the shades. I remove my clothes carefully selected from the dumpster in some rich part of this terrible city. I stare at the clothes and realize that they were probably worth about one hundred and fifty dollars new. Somebody threw these into the trash? Well, they tossed a library's worth of books as well as plush micro fiber couch. I turn the knob to lock which in turns displays the do not disturb sign. I place the restraint loop into place as well before heading into the bath room.

The shower is great. It is warm and relaxing. I get the dirt and grime out of my hair and off of my face. It feels wonderful and it keeps me awake. I towel off and drop onto the bed. My eyes close and my senses widen.

Below me is a weary business traveler on the phone with his wife while pondering which escort service to call. The room to the left is empty. The room to the right contains a couple make love after just having opened gifts to each other. The love and joy and happiness they feel is wonderful. The gifts were meaningless tokens of that love. Their embrace shows the love more truly and any of the gifts. Gifts like what my mom would have given to me. Gifts like what we were buying yesterday. My mom, I miss her so much.

I bolt awake. I was dreaming. I can't dream because then I'll relive what happened. I look around in a state of panic. My eyes settle on my clothes, and my mind drifts to shopping. I'll go shopping that will keep me awake, and keep my mind off of things. Or at least bring back just the pleasant memories from yesterday.

I'm clothed before I realize it. I take just my Id, some cash and the room key. I leave the purse behind. I go out into the hall and take the elevator down to the lobby. I exist the doors towards Times Square and start walking. My sweater is not enough it is just too cold.

The first clothes store I come to is closed. So are the second and the third. Oh, yeah this is Christmas everything is going to be closed. Well except the restaurants they are open. I buy some kabobs, a pretzel and a soda from one of the street vendors. I ask if he knows of any place that would sell cloths today. He cheerfully directs me to an Indian run cloths store a short distance away.

As I walk in I am confronted with the most densely packed store I have every seen. The store is narrow and deep like most place in New York. The ceilings are about fifteen feet high and cloths are hung all the way to the top. A man is placing some warm leather coats up near the ceiling with a long poll. I seem to be the only person in here. I start looking at the jeans, and find 3 pairs, before finishes stocking the ceiling and comes over to help me.

"Can I help you find anything ma'am? I can take those to the counter if you wish or put them in a changing room, if you would like to try them on." I thank him and indicated that the counter will be fine. I find a few sweatshirts which will do nicely and add a black leather coat. The total comes to twenty five dollars more than I have left.

"I'll tell you what I can do. Go pick out another shirt like these, and I'll put this pair of jeans back." He removes a piece of news paper from below the counter. "Then you can use this coupon and the total will come out to be less."

I do and the total is two dollars forty eight cents more than I have. He packages up my stuff, and tells not to worry about the two dollars, and begins counting pennies from the jar on the counter. I put the jacket on, and leave with my two bags.

The trip back to my room is a lot warmer with the jacket on. I deposit my new wardrobe in my room, grab some more cash and head back out. My target is the electronic games shop on the corner. I buy a PS and get one game and a memory cartridge for free. I haul me new entertainment back to my room. I setup the PlayStation and begin to loose my self in a mediocre RPG since all of the great ones were sold out.

My stomach is what rouses me from the game and the clock indicates that it is seven PM. I wander down to the steak restaurant in the hotel and have a burger. It is ground angus with slow smoked peppered bacon and jack cheese. I guess that justifies the fifteen dollar price tag. I get two cans of coke, diet of course, from a vending machine on the way back to the room. I place the two cans in the refrigerator and return to my game.

Five guys are writhing on the ground, my mother is lying there dead with her arms trying to hold her stomach inside herself. I just stare in horror as each guy mimes out the torture I set for them. I watch with fascination as they squirm and whimper and moan. I feel pride knowing that I have taken my revenge. Knowing that they will not escape justice. Knowing that they will live with horror I gave them as long as I will live with the horror they inflicted on me.

Arms shake me awake and my eyes flutter open. There are four people in my room. A hotel manager, two security guards and a cleaning person. "Are you all right ma'am, are you okay?" the manager asks with urgency and distress in his voice.

"Yes, Yes I'm o..okay. It was just a bad dream. I'm better now thank you."

"Are you were screaming pretty loud. I've never heard screams filled with so much terror before. Are you sure your okay? Where are your parents?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. My parents are at dinner I told them I wanted to keep playing." I grab and jester with the controller. I guess the game just gave me bad dreams or something." He doesn't look satisfied with that answer, but leaves anyway.

A couple engages him in conversation before he can leave my door. It is the couple that is so happily in love from the room to the right. I smirk because they are both dressed in bathrobes and I know why. I know exactly the spot on her neck that she likes to have nibbled. I know that he likes finger nails dragged down his back. I know quite a lot about what they like and don't like. I know what they fantasize about, but I don't know their names.

The manager insists on getting out of my doorway and closes it behind him. Their conversation continues. I just turn back to my game, but I don't feel like playing anymore. I'm just too tired. I have to sleep that dream left me more tired than before I fell asleep.

So I set my mind to thinking happy thoughts, like walking along the beach in the summer, like watching all of the weddings during the year on Nantucket. I remember laughing as the small wedding party carries the bridge and groom into the sea after their vows and the ensuing splashing content that ensued. I remember the ultimate revenge when you could see the brides tie dye bikini under her pure white dress, while the bridesmaids' off white dresses were almost transparent. None of the guys seemed to mind at all.

But all the happy thoughts in the world couldn't stop me from dreaming about that alley. This time I watch the scene from a detached point of view floating about ten feet above. I watch as my mom and I argue the same argument we have had my entire life. I frown as I give ground on just how cruel and heartless the father I've never seen really is. I watch as the black Lincoln slams on it break and comes to a sudden stop to avoid the five men dashing across the street. I watch as the shove us into the alley. I watch as they take everything we had bought that day. I watch as they move to rape me. I watch my mother move to protect me. I watch as the hit her in the head, and slice open her stomach. I watch as she falls to the ground with a look of shock on her face. I watch as they grab me and throw me into the garbage bags. I watch as the rip open my blouse, and cut open the leg of my jeans. I watch as they slowly drag the knife down my chest slicing open my bra. I watch as one by one they step back grabbing their heads. I watch as I start to emit a pulsing red glow. I watch as first one, then the next, and the next, and the next and finally the last, start to pantomime their private personal torture I have just locked them into. I watch as I run away, and stumble through a door. I watch I evade the police. and as I'm found by the nun. I watch as I run from the mission and converse with the cop. I watch as I read the books, and sit in the bunk. I watch as Tony gives me the candy and I flee the out of the door. I watch as Tony finds me in the street. I watch as he leaves. I watch as everything shift to red. I watch as the red pulses slowly at first, but gaining speed. I watch as it the red pulses get so fast that I can no longer see them.

I watch as the world goes white. Really it is sort of an off white, more of a light beige. the stucco pattern is a god touch, the simple crown molding and border work well. I realize that I'm awake. I realize that I'm hungry. I flip on the news and realize that I've been asleep for almost two days. Well, that must be why I'm hungry.

My back is covered in sweat, so I quickly take another shower. I start to get dressed into some jeans and a sweatshirt, when I realize I forgot to buy more underwear. They bra is damp from sweat, and the panties just need to be throw out they are so nasty. I can't wear jeans with out underwear the heavy seam in the crotch just really rubs wrong if you know what I mean. So I fold a hand towel and use it like a maxi pad. I grab my purse and I head off for food. I go outside the hotel to one of the chain restaurants that litter Times Square now. An appetizer, dinner and desert latter I am no longer hungry.

So I set out shopping for new underwear. I decide to go to Macy's it isn't far and they will have what I need. I can even get better clothes than a sweatshirt and jeans. I loose myself in browsing and trying on the clothes. It brings me the me the first amount of real joy I felt since my mother passed on. I take my four bag of clothes and head to the food court because I'm hungry again. To large McDonalds fries and an ice cream cone latter and I'm happy and begin my walk back to the hotel. I wave to the manager from the night before as I wait for the elevator. He waves back and returns to helping a guest.

I get back to my room and put my bags on the floor. I sit in the chair by the window and part the shades. I ponder my choices ahead of me. I could go back to Nantucket and live in and empty house which holds nothing but fond memories of my mother before she died. Nah, that doesn't sound good. I could go to Seattle but can I trust this guy? I can give him a call and find out more.

I got out the piece of paper and dialed the number. A man answered the phone. He voice was very level and practiced even quality to it's tone. "Hello, Cross Residence. Who may I say is calling, and how can I direct your call?"

"This is Alice, Alice Evenheart and I'm calling for Mr. Cross he gave me this number a couple of days ago." I replied timidly. This guy wants me to live in his house. Is he crazy, I don't even know him. I should hang up this just isn't going to work. Maybe I could sell the house in Nantucket and move to the Midwest somewhere.

"Hello, this is Jonathan. I'm glad you called Alice. What can questions can I answer for you?"

"What type of school do you run? How do I know you aren't some weird pervert who is trying to prey on innocent isolate girls? How did you stop me under the bridge? And Why have you been so generous? Oh, and who are the nine?" I just left all the questions hanging. I didn't even remember everything I asked because my mind was racing a mile a minute.

"I run a boarding school for Mages. Mages are people like you that can make things happen in a way most people don't believe is possible. Like how you know what my greatest fear is, or how you could move so fast. I used magic to stop you under the bridge, the same way you used magic to find out about me. I'm generous because you could be one of the nine. The nine are special Magi who's souls reincarnate in a time of great peril for the world. My job is to protect and educate the nine. I think you are one of the nine. I believe I have found five others and they are here at this school. If you come here you will attend a private high school during the day and have additional evening classes on magic. You will have your own room, and you will be with people experiencing the same types of challenges you are facing now. The best I can do about the pervert thing is to let you talk to the other students, but over the phone you wouldn't trust them anyway. I can bring one of my students to New York and you can talk to him. He is the only one who can make the trip, but you still won't know if he is just an actor or not. You will have to decide after talking to him." He replied calmly.

"Umm, yeah, well I guess that would be okay. I think I'd like to try that. So when will you be here?"

"We can be there for dinner tonight. there is a small café visible from your window on the uptown side of the corner two entry way from the corner. We will be there in one hour for dinner. Hopefully seating won't be that bad today since it is to far from New Years, and just far enough from Christmas. Does that sound agreeable?" He again replies calmly. Does this man ever show emotion? Is he always so serious?

"Yes that will be fine. I'll see you then. I'd ask how you were going to get here, but you would just tell me magic. Then natter on about the choice to believe in magic is mine."

"Very well then, and I promise not to 'natter' on during dinner okay." He calmly replies.

We say our goodbyes as I wondered how somebody could deliver a joke and still sound so placid. I realized I should get dressed for dinner and that I really should put on some underwear. I decided to continue to wear the jeans, but only after there was some silk between me and them. The sweatshirt was replaced by a bra and maroon blouse which would look sticking against my skin and the black of the leather jacket. I switched my sneakers for some black low flats I picked up at Macy's with everything else. Fashion lesson number one: Black low flats. If you have to bring only one pair of shoes. It has got to be black low flats. Fashion lesson number two: Never bring only one type of shoe.

I looked pretty good. Not great because I lacked a full wardrobe and make-up and proper grooming products, but I looked pretty good. I would still most likely be the most delicious dish in the café. I had to dress to impress for two reasons. First I wouldn't feel comfortable if I wasn't dresses attractively. Second if they are twisted perverts, then the better I look the quicker their drool will be obvious.


	3. A New School

The New School

First thing I do is go to the airport and sell the round trip first class ticket. Direct from Kennedy to Seattle, Tacoma. I then bought the cheapest flight I could from Kennedy to Seattle. Net Profit 2400 bucks. Cha-Ching. The new flight goes through Atlanta and leaves a 6:20 AM and it has a lay over in Atlanta of 8 hours. I spend the night in the airport with my single carry one bag. Everything I own fits into that single bag now.

The plane touches down in Atlanta the first thing I do is to put my self on standby for the next available seat to Seattle. That maneuver cuts my wait time down by 6 hours. The ideal outcome and perfectly lucky as well.

The flight to Seattle was just that another flight. The plane goes up. The plane goes down and if you are on the correct side you can see Mount Reighner out the window during the approach to Seattle. I spend my time on the flight well. I sleep and think. Mostly sleep. No matter how bad people tell you sleeping on an airplane is, just remember is a vast improvement over sleeping in an airport seat.

On the flight I calm down a bit. I don't know what is happening to me. I don't know why I'm trusting this guy. Well I'm not trusting him per say, but I am taking a risk by going to his school where everything will be on his terms. I'm pretty sure that I can get myself out if things go bad. I also have my doubts. I wrestle with those fears and doubts for the entire flight.

Ultimately I come down to my need to learn about what I have done, and what I can now do. Mr. Cross is my only lead on what I did. Five guys are in a psych ward now because of me. I'm glad they are there. They did kill my mother. They did try to rape me. I hold no remorse about putting them there. But shouldn't I? They are just as good as dead. Didn't I effectively kill them? Well, at least according to Mr. Cross, so I guess there is room for doubt.

But shouldn't I at least feel guilty about what I did? Should I feel guilty that I don't feel any guilt?

The ding as the seatbelt light turning on, followed by the stewardess announcing landing disturb me from my train wreck of thought. After all I can definitely claim to be the model for calm rational thought since that night in the alley. Maybe the train has already crashed, and I'm the one in the psych ward and I just don't realize it yet.

I proceed through the airport to the awaiting taxis and take a cab out to the school. The driver attempts to start a conversation, but I refuse to reply. Perverted thoughts are oozing from his mind despite the light and innocent conversation. He takes the ferry across the lake and about an hour latter the cab approaches the school.

Rather the gates to the school. The gates are a huge stone affair that leads down into an eight foot high wall. A trailer truck could fit underneath the stone arch of these gates. Heavy black metal gates swing towards the car as it approaches. A square metal pillion that stood behind the meeting line of the two metal gates slides down into the ground as the gates swing out. The security is such a wonder that it extracts even a whistle from the driver. Maybe this is my psych ward.

How they know who they are letting onto the grounds is beyond me. It isn't security if it lets just anybody inside. Maybe it's magic; after all that is why I'm here. There was no speaker box to identify the driver or his passengers. It doesn't make sense. I guess it is just another creepy thing about the world I'm entering now. Will my life ever be normal again? Probably not, and that is very frightening.

The driveway is composed of a bed of small red rocks and the taxi makes a soft constant crunching sound as it drives over top of the rocks. The driveway makes a left and a right hand bend through the woods. I guess to prevent a straight line of sight to the road. As the driver maneuvers around the last bend I get I first glimpse of the school.

It is an immense stone house. A mansion that rivals the great industrialist millionaire mansions in Newport Rhode Island that were built in the early 1900s when earning even 500 a year was well off. From when sears sold cars in it's catalog for a thousand bucks. Despite only being two floors plus an attic the house was grand. Judging by the ground floor windows the first floor must have had 15 foot high ceilings. As the taxi pulled up to the front entry steps I realized that the entry way into this building was twice a wide as the taxi cab which was once a police cruiser. The house was easily twice as wide as the steps on either side of the steps. I quickly doing the math it dawns on me that at the cab is about 18 feet so the steps are about 36 feet so that makes the house about 110 to 115 feet wide. I don't even know how deep the house goes.

Still slightly in awe I pay the driver and start to ascend the steps. There is an overhang at the roof line and six columns rise up both stories to support it. The door opens as I cross between the columns and approach. It is held open by a gentleman in his mid forties dressed in very well tailored black suit, white tuxedo shirt and black shoes that are shiner than my mirror back in Nantucket.

"Ms Evenheart, It is a pleasure to see that you have chosen to come here", he greets.

"I'm not sure that I'm staying, but I would be foolish not to at least visit". The only response is an imperious nod as he ushers me inside.

A staircase starts ascending directly in front of the main doors, and turns to the left to finish its assent. Storming down the stairs are two people. The tall blond boy is chasing the willowy brown hair girl. The boy is tall and wide, easily over a foot and a half wider and seemingly that much wider than myself. Stereotypical corn feed mid western white boy who likely bench press twice my weight every other day. The young lady is about half way between my height and the hulk. She has the lean athletic build of a long distance runner. Her stride opens up into the relaxed gait of a seasoned runner once she reaches the bottom of the steps. She quickly disappears to my left and through an entry way into what looks like a kitchen that is larger than many school classrooms that I have been inside.

The hulk it more alert and towers above me with a big smile plastered across his face. "Oh, hey, I'm Chris. You're new here, huh. Well, I can umm show you around a bit if you'd like."

It was a strange mix of lust and genuine manners that first wash over me with his words, but his thoughts quickly settled into polite curiosity. I slowly raise my sight from his chest which is eye level with my 5 foot 4 inches to see his vibrant blue eyes.

"Sure, I would appreciate that . . ." I begin to reply.

"Alice, I'm glad you decided to accept my offer. I did not think you were coming when you sold the tickets." said an unknown voice from my right. As I peered in that direction I saw Jonathan Cross the weird man that first invited me here. No emotions washed over me as he spoke which is odd.

Hmm, since when was the lack of feeling somebody else's emotions odd? When did reading people's thoughts and emotions become second nature to me? Yeah I definitely need a psych ward.

"I'll just let Christopher here show you around. Christopher, bring her to my office when you are done with your tour." Mr. Cross said as he turns and heads up the stairs.

"Let's start upstairs so you can choose your room and put your bag down. It that all you have? You really pack light, huh. Well I'm sure that Niyu will help you expand your wardrobe on the living stipend we all get. Niyu is the resident hottie and fashionista. Oh, that was probably a bit inappropriate wasn't it? But I'm sure that if she dresses you up, then you can giver even her, a run for her money. Those are nice earrings. What are they jade?

The words "Yes, there were my mothers" quietly flow from my lips as my mind stays on autopilot.

I tuned out his babble as we progressed up the plush read carpeted stairs. His internal debate about if it is better to proceed me up the steps, so he can look down my shirt, or behind me so he and watch my butt, is strangely fascinating. The top of the stairs opened onto a landing that encircles the stairs. A hallway leads straight from the top of the stairs and it had 3 doors to either side down its length. There were two rooms on the front side of the house and another corridor leading away opposite the first corridor. The opposite corridor was shorter and had only one door to either side and ended in another doorway.

"There are three empty rooms right now, one is straight ahead on the back side of the house, another is also straight ahead but on the front side of the house, and the last is just to your right. Shall we start with the one on the right then"? He turns and heads directly left from the top of the stairs.

"Niyu lives next door to this one and they share a bath. These are the only two rooms which do share a bath. All of the others have private baths." stated Chris. The room was grand. It had two windows facing the front of the house on the right side of the over hang above the steps. It had a huge dresser and vanity on the right wall and a king size bed on the front wall. There was a walk in closet and a door to the bathroom on the left wall.

I walked to the bathroom door and knocked since it was shared. After receiving no response I opened the door to see two shower stalls replete with benches for shaving my legs, a double sink and a Jacuzzi tub large enough to fit two.

"This is really impressive".

"Yeah, I never had this much room at home. So I'm always glad to come back each year". Chris enthused wistfully. "Come on and I'll show you the others"

He led me out of the room and down the long corridor. Rob is in this room and across is where Mike lives. This is one of the empty rooms and across is Frank. Now like I said these aren't as big, but they have private baths. These rooms were deeper and narrower. The bath and closet were to the right and left of the door respectively thus creating another little hallway before the actual room. The king size bed was on the right abutting the bathroom, and a desk was on the left. Dressers and changing table were on the outside wall with the changing table mirror between the two windows. It reminded me of an expensive hotel room.

"Come on, let's finish this floor so I can show you the cool stuff" Chris urged.

"So to finish off this side, Joshua is in the last room on the rear of the house, and the other room is empty. It is setup similarly to the one we just left. Bath on the right, closet on the left, yadda yadda yadda" summarized Chris.

"As we round the stairs, I'm in the rear facing room and Elizabeth is in the front facing room. The door straight ahead leads into Mr. Cross's study and through that are his rooms. Now let's go down stairs, because that is where the best stuff is." said Chris. Chris was definitely way to cheery for giving a tour to a complete stranger, but only joy and excitement were radiating from him. All the lustful thoughts from before evaporated as he entered his tour guide mode.

"Now you've already seen the entry foyer to the right of the stairs, well left if you're coming in from outside, is the classroom; to the left is the entertainment room. It's got a huge TV and sound system, two pinball machines, a foosballs table and an arcade machine that can play any video game you want. Don't ask me how. It just does. It is magic after all. Under Beth's room, Mr. Cross and my room is the formal dinning room. I've never seen it used, but it can seat about forty people at the table. I guess it can be cleared out and used as a ballroom as well. We can skip that for now, if you want to take a look you can do that later". His anticipation was building as he glossed over the down ground floor layout. He is obviously very interested in the next room.

"Now, in the other direction from the formal dinning room is the most important room in the house. It's Mrs. Plum's domain, the kitchen. This is where we eat most of our meals and where Mrs. Plum cooks them, which is why this room is the most important. Mrs. Plum is the best cook I've never had better." His step got almost bouncy in anticipation of entering the kitchen and probably finding food.

"Hm, it seems Mrs. Plum is out at the moment. Oh well, these cabinets hold the snacks and the drinks are in the left hand fridge. We don't normally eat dinner together. It is sorta buffet style. It mostly depends upon everybody's schedule. We stay out of the right hand fridge that is where Mrs. Plum stores her unprepared food. Once she is done cooking it will be served and then left over will be put into the left fridge.

"Now if we go out back, you'll see that over to the right of the house is the garage and over to the left is the pool and gym complex. Behind the pool over there is the stables. There are trails through out the property, but you'd have to ask Beth about the horses and trails" Chris concluded.

"Wow, this place is pretty big. What is a normal school day like here"?

"I'll explain as we eat, I'm starved, that is why Beth and I were racing down here." He went to the left fridge, and pulled out some cold cuts and condiments.

While assembling a mammoth sandwich he continued the conversation, "Well, we attend the local public high school during the day. After dinner at 6 we all go into the classroom and learn magic. Everybody is able to control different aspects of magic so the class is mostly guided self study. It can get pretty chaotic with everybody practicing in one room. So, what kind of magic can you do" Chris inquired.

"I don't really know. I'm not really all that sure about this entire thing. I'm not even sure if I'll be staying. I just really don't want to talk about. I think I'll just take the room near the stairs. The one that has the shared bath with Nina."

"You mean Niyu" Chris corrected.

"Oh yeah sorry".

"Mr. Cross asked me to bring you to his office after this so common let's go. We can put your bag down in your room as well on the way" Chris encouraged as he scooped up his sandwich and left everything on the counter.

After putting my bag down in the room, I walked down the short hallway and knocked on the door. Mr. Cross invited me into a nice size plush office. It wasn't designed to be intimidating, The desk while large was not imposing and it was not on raised flooring. The guest chairs were comfortable and appealing to sit upon, unlike the offices of some wealthy people. The room displayed wealth, but it didn't impose it upon you. Just keeping a library of thousands of books displays wealth, but the lack of obviously overpriced items, like gold stationary set or a telescope indicated that the occupant was not going to use their wealth to intimidate you.

"So, I gather you have decided upon a room for your stay?" inquired Mr. Cross.

"Yes, I have. I will be staying next to Niyou."

"Wonderful, now I suppose you would like an explanation of what exactly I have to teach you." I nodded my head in response. "Well all of the students here go to the local public school for their normal education which is mandated by the local and federal governments. After school activities are still allowed, so all of the sports teams and clubs are open to you at the school. At 1800 or 6PM each weekday we hold classes here at the mansion. The classes last for two hours and are held in the library down stairs. The kids I believe call it the classroom, but originally it was only a library. These class focus on teaching you all how to control your magic."

He paused as if waiting for my disbelieving comments. I only raised my eyebrow and awaited his continued explanation. "You are a Mage and student at this school is a Magi. There are a few people in the world that can use their soul to affect the world about them. Soul is the best term, it is in many many regards exactly what most religions describe it as being, but none are exactly right."

I had to interrupt at this point. "Sir, not to sound rude or anything, but I've looked at a lot of religions and none of them describe the soul and what it is in a detailed manner"

"Yes, I agree, but if you read between the lines of each religion you learn about what they are trying to but are unable to describe. The exact definition doesn't matter we can just refer to the ability you possess rather than the philosophic root of the ability."

"I need preface what I'm about to say with something first. There are proportionally very few people who can affect the world with their magic, so the magical world does not have the best and the brightest people to develop the type of uniform and consistent theories you are used to from the mundane world. The paradigm I'm going to use to describe your abilities isn't perfect, but it will do for now. There are competing theories to this one as well, but you will learn about them in class."

"Traditionally Magic is broken down into nine spheres. This is one of the first problems since a sphere implies a regular polygonal structure which isn't true. Areas are a better description. But anyway that theory isn't pertinent to this discussion. The nine areas are Correspondence, Entropy, Forces, Life, Matter, Mind, Prime, Time, and Spirit. When a person is born they do not have conscious control over their magic. When they finally learn that control it is called their awakening. Most people when the awaken have ability spread through out the nine spheres. They also awaken gently."

"You had what is called a violent awakening. You first controlled your powers to save your life when it was under threat. That is the worst and most traumatic way to awaken, but I'm sure you've figured that out already." I sighed slightly at his poor attempt at humor. As if I really wanted to be reminded of that evening, it is all I've been trying to forget. "Most people when they awaken are left to their own devices to sink or swim as they are able. You have exhibited two spheres so far, Mind and Time. They are the two most gentle and subtle spheres of magic. What you did to your attackers was a truly masterful application of Mind magic. You extracted their worst fears, and constructed a nightmare centered around their fears. Then you looped the nightmare so they were eternally stuck in their torture. I am very good at mind magic and I was called in by a colleague to assist, but I could not assist. You had done your task too well. They will likely never awaken from their individual hells. Four have already lost their voices from screaming continuously. The fifth, well he moans more than yells, so he could probably still talk if his mind ever realized it has something to say."

"A person's ability with a particular sphere can be described as one of five levels, with master being the highest. I am a master with mind and I could not undo your work. All of the kids at this school have exhibited a master's ability with one sphere of magic or another. Chris for example is a master at Forces magic. He exhibits most of your classic Jedi powers, though the 'These are not the droids you are looking for' part is your area. He can summon the light saber; shoot lightning from his fingers, jump incredible heights, and punch with unnatural power."

"The goal of this school is to teach those magi that awaken and display a master level of ability. You are here to learn the control needed to use your magic when and as you desire; not just when you are about to die. There are organizations out there that will either kill you or control you. Fortunately while you are a student at this school, none of them will take direct action. Many of the sides actually will stop by and recruit the students for post schooling participation. Mostly because by the time you finish you will be to strong from them to coerce with violence, posses too much knowledge to be lured with training, and hopefully too savvy to be taken in by other means."

"You are a small percentage of a small percentage of the population of the world. You are already at a level of power that very few will ever reach and you are only just beginning. So will you stay?"

"I honestly don't know. I agree I need to understand and control what I can do now. But despite how you present it you are also looking to control me and my actions. The only real question is whose control I submit to in order to learn what I need to learn. I'll stay for two weeks and then decide. That should give me enough time to get a feel for the daily life and to talk with the other students. I'll know if they are lying to me or if they are trying to deceive me, so I wouldn't try to bias them in their interactions with me."

"May I ask you a question? You seem to have a good handle on micro politics, Only Niyu has a comparable skill and it is a social skill that is rare in folks so young. Where did you learn it?

"I grew up in Nantucket, where the rich and the wealthy live. Since I was neither rich and wealth, nor part of the servant class I had to learn in order to survive. The rich brats and their parents are always scheming. If you don't learn quickly how to see through their plots you quickly become a pawn. I won't be a pawn. By you leave sir?"

"Yes, of course. Enjoy your stay" replied Mr. Cross

I turned and headed back to my new room. Glancing at my watch I had about two hours prior to dinner. I decided that I would take advantage of the Jacuzzi in the bath. So I went into the bath room. I adjusted the water temperature. Stripped and climbed into the bath. It felt wonderful to sit in the hot water and feel the water massage muscles that had never been this sore in their life. The past week had been too stressful. My mother died. I warped five minds into reliving their own personal hells. I lived on the streets of New York. I got attacked by a gang. I relocated across the country and I enrolled in a school full of people who could do things like I could with only a hope and a bluff that I could actually leave if I wanted to leave.

I am not sure when I fell asleep, but I was awoken by somebody placing a hand on my shoulder. I started rather violently and reflexively lashed out with my mind. I was facing a girl about my age. No three months older. She was black, but not African black. Aboriginal, Australia. Niyu was her name. Niyu was the person I shared the bathroom with. I struggled to reign in my mind and extract it from hers without causing harm. "Oh, I'm sorry you scared me. I didn't get you wet did I?"

She was definitely a beautiful girl. She would face as many lustful stares as I did. Her smile stood out against her complexion as she laughed. "No, I don't think you did. It is just about dinner time and I had come into to use the privy, when I noticed that your hands were starting to prune and that you had fallen asleep. I figured I wake you, before you need an entire bottle of moisturizer to get your skin back in shape. I'm Niyu by the way." She stated as she handed me a towel.

"Alice, and thanks" I said as I grabbed the towel. "I really don't want to prune up to badly, it was just a long flight and I didn't realize how tired I actually was. Is the food good? I'm starved." I started the tub draining and stood up to dry myself. Her eyes scanned my body up and down once, but not in a sexual way. Rather it was with a critical eye analyzing flaws, and finding assets.

"Well, go get dressed I'll met you in the hall and we can go down together." she suggested. I hurried into my room and pulled on a simple short sleeved red v-necked top, some jeans and a pair of black flats. I quick stop in the bathroom again retrieved my jewelry and straightened my hair. On the stair landing I found Niyu talking with a younger boy.

The young kid had brown hair cut in an entirely unflattering style. The bangs were too long, and the length on top was too short to lay flat from its own weight, but too long to appear uniform. He was dressed in a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. The t-shirt was too large and the jeans were either to large or purposefully baggy. The sneakers were fine, but mostly hidden amongst the baggy legs of his jeans.

"Alice, you are dressed now I see. This is Joshua or resident computer nerd though he doesn't have the glass to prove it.", teased Niyu. Joshua just blushed and nodded in acknowledgment. "He is really shy, but a great guy once you get to know him. Come on, Mrs. Plum is sure to have some grand food ready by now, and we have to get there before Chris or we won't get any at all."

We walked down the stairs and off to the kitchen, Mrs. Plum had indeed created quite a feast. There was a roast turkey with stuffing and mashed potatoes, an end roast of beef, carrots and peas, baked yams, green beans in a garlic sauce, farfalli pasta and sauce with meatballs. We each grabbed a plate and chose what we wanted. As we sat down at the table Chris skidded into the kitchen. He grabbed two plates and proceeded to fill both. They were heaped with food and looked more like somebody had upturned a full bowl onto each plate. As he walked to the table carrying both domes of food, he claimed the chair nearest to the student refrigerator. A habit I suppose since there were drinks and glasses already on the table among the dinnerware and napkins. Not paper napkins, actually cloth napkins which were decorated in the holiday style.

I got to meet Beth, the tall runner from this morning, and Frank a tall baller from Detroit. There were apparently a few others as well, but I didn't see them at dinner. I excused my self from the table claiming weariness from traveling all day and went back to my room to sleep.

I dropped myself on the bed and collapsed back onto the softest mattress I have ever felt. It was as soft as a down pillow but it still supported you like that foam stuff developed for NASA while remaining stiff enough in just the right spots to support and straighten over tense joints. Don't ask it must be magic. I laid there for a brief time enjoying the wonderful feeling before I again slipped into exhausted sleep.

I didn't dream. I wasn't aware. I was just resting, until the alarm went off at 630 in the morning. It was followed shortly by Chris banging on the door and yelling about getting up early because I had to be registered at the school, so I had to leave early. How had my alarm clock been set? I didn't set it that is for sure. Oh well, that is just magic again I guess.


	4. Getting settled

I awoke to a knocking on my door. I drowsily stood up and wrapped the bathrobe around me. I opened the bedroom door to see nobody. Weird did I dream everything? No obviously not, because I'm standing in the room and wearing the bathrobe from that weird school.

KNOCK!! KNOCK!!

I spin around, because the knocking isn't coming from the door to the room, it is coming from the bath room. But who could be in my bathroom. I pad carefully over to the bathroom door. My nerves are hyper. My muscles are tense. My hear rate is climbing. And I pull on my power as I swiftly open the door while keeping it between me and the attacker behind the door.

As I glance around the door, I see the surprise as it slowly beings to draw on Nyu's face. It is really weird, the middle of her left eye brows rises first but the outside of her left eye brow rises first. Both eyebrows are fully up before her jaw drops.

Confusion and bewilderment. There is no way the door could open that fast. Is Alice safe, what is happening in there? She was so lost yesterday, and when she didn't go to school today I was a bit worried. Oh, wait that is her face peeking around the door. Wow there is some heavy magik going on here. I can feel it. It is oppressive. I better draw on mine to relieve the pressure.

What!?! I can't reach my magik. I know what I want to do, but my brain just won't let me. What is going on here? Something is very wrong. Okay, breathe. Stay calm.

My vision suddenly goes blurry. It breaks into diagonal lines which start rotating around the center of my view. Each line alternates between me looking around the door and me looking at me looking around the door.

OH GOD NO. I did it again. I went into Nyu's head. I was looking at me looking at her! How do I stop it? How do I prevent reaching into people's minds? How do I stop the world from spinning? I'm going to get sick. I'm loosing my balance, which can't help the nausea.

I feel my head hit the floor and I wonder when my legs gave out. I look down my body verify that yes I'm not laying flat on the floor.

VOMIT! I must VOMIT NOW. And I do. There isn't much in my stomach anymore apparently, but some recognizable pieces of dinner to come up among a bunch of nasty smelling liquid. But my vision corrects itself, no more weird rotating lines and dual points of view. Of course the fact that I can see my puke up close and personal isn't to appealing. It probably explains why my ear feels wet. Yuck!

I feel two hands pressing on my shoulder to roll me onto my back. That is probably a good idea and it will get my ear out of the mess on the floor.

"Alice, are you all right? What happened? Are you okay? Come on open your eyes. Look at me, please." It is Nyu's voice, but I can't look at her. I might slide into her head again. At least I didn't permanently damage her from what I can tell.

"Your breathing I can feel it on my hand. Come on open your eyes. I won't hurt you"

"It isn't you hurting me that I'm worried about. I'm worried about me hurting you."

"Ms. Davenport, please sit back I'll take care of this for now."

"Sure, Mr. Cross" Nyu says. I can feel the presence that I assume id Nyu, move away and I can hear Mr. Cross enter through the bathroom.

"How do you feel Ms. Davenport? Are you okay? Did you notice anything odd just now?

"I feel fine sir; the only thing odd was how quickly the door opened. One instant and it was closed, and the next thing I know the door was wide open. But what about Alice?"

"Alice is very good at unconscious magic. I suspect she used Time to accelerate herself and that is why the door opened so fast."

"But sir even with Time it wouldn't make her move faster, only her perceptions."

"Very true, she must have some control over life magic as well."

"Ugh, I am here you know. And I don't appreciate being talked about like some lab rat under observation by weird makeup testing sickos that are anxiously awaiting the latest adverse reaction." I grouse.

"Yes well that is an interesting description Ms. Evenheart"

"And based on that very none masculine snort, you thought it was at least amusing." I interjected.

"True, it was more verbose a reply than I would have expected. What did you notice just now?"

"I awoke to a knock. So I got up and answered the door, but there was nobody there. I heard the knock again, and I started to panic because somebody had gotten into my bathroom. I had forgotten it was shared with Nyu's room. I went over to the door, and I decided to open it really quickly while hiding behind it for protection. I noticed that Nyu's eyebrows respond differently to surprise.

The next thing I knew I was looking at myself. There were all these odd emotions, though mostly it was care and concern. The next thing I knew my vision started to go all wired and I was seeing thing from two different views. Next I knew I needed to puke. Then I was laying on the floor I my puke. It was really weird."

"Ms. Davenport, did you feel any intrusion into your mind. I know you have some defenses against that type of intrusion."

"No, Sir I didn't even suspect."

"Well, I wouldn't be too distressed about that. Our friend Alice here is better with the mind than even myself when she is acting on instinct. But the rest of that story isn't for me to tell. I'm glad to see that you are both alright. Ms. Davenport, do try not to startle Ms. Evenheart for a while until she can get her magik under control. Okay, it really is for you safety, because I can't guarantee I can fix what she does. So far I am 0 for 5 and I would prefer not to become 0 for 6.

Ms. Evenheart, I don't think it is wise for you to start school yet. By law you have 30 days to register after moving into the area. So I recommend we take full advantage of that time to teach you the fundamentals of control."

I simply nod my acceptance. I know that I need to control this power what ever it is. Putting 5 rapists into a mental ward for ever I can rationalize, but putting a person who just wanted to make sure I was safe into the loony bin isn't acceptable. I need to be able to only affect those that deserver the torture that I can inflict.

"Come on Alice, I'll draw a bath and we can get you cleaned up and into it for some relaxation. I've got it from here Mr. Cross"

I slowly open my eyes as I felt Nyu's hands slide under my shoulders and start lifting me up into a sitting position. I could feel vomit rolling down behind my ear as I tucked my legs underneath me. Nyu assisted me up and into the bathroom we went.

"Do you mind if I stay? You don't look quite coherent enough that I would feel save leaving you in here alone. You still seem pretty rattled."

I just stare at her as she starts running water for the bath. I go over to the sink and grab a wash cloth. I start to wash the grim from the side of my face. I look into the mirror and I see Nyu starting to strip out of her clothes. I dropped the sodden wash cloth into the sink. I shrugged out of the bathrobe and took off my pajamas.

Nyu helped me into the tub and the climbed in behind me. The tub fit both of us, but it was a bit cramped. It felt like how people described two man tents to me. I've never been in one, but there is just enough room for two if you face in the opposite direction and you don't mind feet by your head.

I bent my knees and lowered my shoulders below the water. "I'm sorry for jumping into your head. I didn't mean to do that to you. I was just scared."

"That's okay there was no harm done."

We jus sat there and soaked for a while, before Nyu turned on the jets. I quickly crossed my legs to block one jet. Nyu just started to laugh.

"That s why I don't bend my knees in this tub. If you keep your legs flat then the jet just goes right over."

I slid back up and straighten my legs.

"Based on what Mr. Cross said it sounds like you just awakened. Is that right?

"Yes, about a week ago"

"It must have been pretty violent if you react like you did."

"Yeah, they killed my mom and tried to rape me. So, yeah it was pretty violent."

"Oh My God! I'm sorry."

The conversation died down after that. I didn't know if I wanted to talk about it or not. I knew I could trust her. I had more trust in her than anybody else in my life. I guess that is what happens when you take over somebody's mind for a while. I knew with no doubts that she meant me know harm and didn't have an ulterior motive. Just concern and caring were present while I inhabited her mind.

"It was just before Christmas. My mom and I had just finished shopping. We were in New York City for the holiday. Normally we live in Nantucket. We ducked down an ally and that is when these 5 guys decided to corner us. My mom stepped in front of me, and told me to run, but I froze. They stabbed her many times and she just collapsed. Her blood just leaked out onto the concrete.

They closed in around me and one of them mentioned they should have some fun with me first. I know I'm very pretty because all the guys would chase after me at school. I knew right away they were going to rape me and then kill me. I panicked, dropped the bags I was still holding. I turned and ran down the street.

It didn't take long for them to catch me. I had my back to a dumpster. The next thing I knew all five were on the ground. I just kept running. I lived on the streets for a few nights; I'm not sure how long. I knew there was a man hunt for me, but I don't know why.

I stayed in a shelter one night that's how I knew about the man hunt. Mr. Cross eventually tracked me down in the street somewhere. That was weird and it feels kinda like a dream. It was just so surreal. We were both moving so fast, but he was always one step ahead it seemed. He gave me some cash and first class ticket to here. I sold the ticket for more cash, but I didn't really have any where else to go. So I bought a cheaper ticker to here. I'm still not sure if I'm going to stay, but I think that I might."

"Wow that is some deep shit. I'm glad I didn't awaken like that. My awakening was guided. My grandmother is an aboriginal shaman you see. She saw that I also had the power and she guided me in its use well before I could access the power. You could almost say I had the exact opposite awakening than you did.

What happened to those guys do you know?"

"Yeah Mr. Cross told me. They are apparently in a psych ward in New York somewhere. Apparently I found their worst nightmares and stuck them in and endless loop where they believe they are reliving their worst nightmare forever. Mr. Cross said he couldn't break the loop. They will be stuck that way for the rest of their lives it seems. It is kind of scary to think I can do that to somebody. I was afraid I might have done something like that to you as well."

"It does explain why Mr. Cross reacted that way. I've learned about mind magic, but I never thought it could be used like that. All of our books say that it is one of the weakest forms of magic for combat. Even Spirit which is my forte is said to be better for combat since you can summon spirits into you to assist your, or even summon them directly if you are good enough. I guess it just goes to show that you should never underestimate magic of any type."

"What do you mean by Spirit? Is that one of those spheres?"

"Yes, it is. Spirit deals with well spirits, like ghosts, totem and essences. It is very metaphysical really. Spirit deals with the emotions and soul of magik. I suspect that when you were upset, if I had been looking, I would have been able to see the turbulence of your emotions in what is called the umbra. It is a different realm which is both the same as and more than the real world. Strong emotions would have caused and effect in the umbra.

"What do you mean by the same as but more than the real world? Is the Umbra real or not?"

"Hah, well it is kind of hard to explain. Theorists break the umbra into two parts, the near and far umbra. The near umbra has echoes of the real world. If you were in the near umbra you would still be able to see this room and the bath tub and even the water contained inside the tub. You would see me and you sitting in the tub as well. But there would be other things as well. For example, most of my ancestor's ghosts hang around me, so you could meet my ten time great grand father. Actually you could meet most of my ten time great grand fathers. Not all of their ghosts have found me, or they could have been reincarnated already. I don't know. There are other things as well. You will see things that were never human. Well, at least I don't think they ever were.

Then people like me and you that exist in both the real world and the umbra we have an effect on the umbra around us as well. Our emotions translate in the umbra into mostly feelings. Like a deep sadness may express in the umbra as humidity. Anger as heat, fear as cold. Like that. It isn't a hard and fast rule. Anger isn't always heat, sadness isn't always humidity. I think it is more personal to the individual experiencing the emption at that time, rather than the emotion itself.

Then there is the 'far Umbra' the far umbra is called that because it is so far detached from the 'real world' that it doesn't echo the physical characteristics of the real world. I'm not convinced that it is actually any farther away. I think it is more like the super ego and id, rather literally far way in a different existence. But I can't say I'm right either. There are people that have been studying this far longer than I have which are convinced it is literally farther away. I always point out that the experts though dinosaurs dragged their tails for the longest time as well, despite find foot prints, but not tail marks in between."

"Wow that is weird and neat at the same time. So you have a whole other world to explore that is consistently changing. It is sort of like a full immersion video game."

"Well yes, but you can't quit, or save and you can be attacked at anytime not just when you are playing. Being aware of the umbra actually makes my presence there more real than yours, so I'm more likely to be attacked by something malicious then you.

"You see your ancestors? Can you see my Mom? I never got to say good bye and all. It would be nice to know she is still looking over me, you know?

"Hold on I'll check, but don't get you hopes up. It isn't likely; the only ancestors that I see are the one that could do magik when they were alive."

Nyu then just closed her eyes and relaxed her shoulders. Her arms floated to the top of the water as her body went limp. I place my foot over here belly to keep her waste down. Her eyes fluttered open again almost as soon as I start to push her back down with my foot. She looked at me, and then my foot.

"Sorry, you start to get really relaxed and so you were floating. I didn't feel like having your crotch floating at eye level. It isn't really a turn on. Not to say you are deformed some how because you aren't. It's just that well . . . I sound kind of like an idiot not don't I?" She laughed in response. It was a sweet lilting laugh very high and fast. It reminded me of a piccolo being play low, because piccolos seem to have faster notes than flutes. I guess it could be a flute being played high. Maybe I'm just nervous because that though was really out of left field. What a strange tangent to venture onto while anticipating postmortem contact with my mom.

"I can understand that. I can appreciate a beautiful woman, but it isn't a turn on for me either. It is good to know I'm not going to have to figure out how to let you down gently, because that would have been awkward."

"Anyway, I'm sorry, but I couldn't see her there. I checked with my ancestors as well, and none of them have seen a new presence around either", She regretfully stated.

"Well, I'm no worse off then before right. And there is no harm in knowing either."

"Yeah I guess. Do you have anything of hers still?"

"Yeah I've got some heirloom jewelry she gave me. They used to belong to my great grand mother and they've been handed down to the oldest female ever since."

"Well you could just wear them in order to fell a connection. It might help to settle your emotions as well.

"Thanks, that is a good idea. I think it is time to get out. I'm starting to prune. I guess that means I need more water tonight at dinner."

"I agree it is almost dinner time anyway. I'll stop back in before I head down if that is alright."

"Sure that sounds great. I'll see ya in a few."

So we climbed out of the tub and each grabbed a towel before drying off and heading into our respective rooms.

I decided to dress up a bit for dinner tonight. I grabbed my mom's jewelry a pair of carved jade ear rings and matching necklace. I offset them with a red v-top shirt and some black stretch pants. Black low flats and just a smidge of blush rounded out the look. Nyu came back in as I was putting away my makeup.

"Oh, you're going to get dress up huh, so I should go put on something better than sweats pants and a sweat shirt."

"No not really, you look fine. I just figured I would get a bit spruced up. It isn't like I'm in an evening gown or anything."

"No I'll change it will be fun to make the boys jaws drop again. Besides, Beth always gets so upset when I dress up., because the boys can't stop looking. Now with two dressed up hotties flaunting during dinner; it will just up the anti."

"That is kind of cruel. Let us get started."

Half an hour of focused primping later and we wonder down for dinner about 15 minutes late. Nyu was right though. Almost all the boys stopped to gawk. No food fell out of anybody's mouth, but it was close in some cases. The only one who didn't was Joshua and he is just too young to be really hung up on those types of thoughts.

Mrs. Plum had an entirely different spread of delicious food laid out for a house of hungry teenagers to consume. Well maybe demolish is a better phrase. I combined the roast beef with a healthy portion of the Cesar salad and a bowl of New England clam chowder, skipping the mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, fried chicken, teriyaki salmon, steam broccoli, English pudding, cheesecake and ice cream. I was astounded with the volume of food she was able to cook each day.

After dinner was the first magik class that I attended. There are nine of us and there was a room dedicated to the purpose. The room was part classroom, and part library. Centered in the room were nine nice little school desks where you slide in from the left. In front of the desks was a big solid oak affair which Mr. Cross utilized. Behind him and his desk was a floor to ceiling set of built in book cases replete with a rolling ladder to reach the top most shelves. The back wall had shelves of what looked like nothing more that toys. The left and right walls were more book cases which turned out to be mainly secondary material like history books, cultural books, language books and such. The main theory books were behind the teacher's desk.

Mr. Cross got the others started on their practice first and then called me up to the desk while the others got their toys from the back wall. Some just sat and read, but most used the toys to practice. I felt the electricity of magic being used as I got to the desk. A quick glance back into the classroom show balls hovering in mid air, or simply just stopped. Pieces of stone crumbling into dust and then reforming back into rock. The magik was nothing flashy like in Dungeons and Dragons, but even more amazing in the subtle power expressed by seemingly effortless actions.

"Now Ms. Evenheart, besides Mind, we don't know exactly what spheres of magic you have control over. But I have some guesses. I would like you to work with this book primarily today and for the first half hour for the next two weeks. It is focused on the simplest tasks from each of the nine spheres. Go through that book and take note of which thing you can do. You might not be able to do everything today. As you get used to accessing and controlling your magik some things you can't do today you might be able to do.

"Now I know you have ability in the Mind sphere, so you will need this guide to the mind. I also suspect that you will need the guide to Time and Life as well based upon our little encounter under the bridge."

The first book was entitled A Guide to Self Discovery. Which were followed by The Inner Voice, The Eternal Instant and Principles of Wellbeing, the provided references for mind, time and life guides respectively.

Following the guide to self discovery, I found I could accurately predict the position of the sweeping second hand of the clock on the back shelf. I could also slow down and speed up my heart rate. Both of which were listed as indications of time and life magic. I couldn't cool a glass of water or guess the number of times I would get heads when flipping a coin twenty five times. The other students were help in coaching me in their areas of competence. I took a bit over an hour to go through the Guide the first time. I spent the last hour just reading The Inner Voice. The first few chapters were about centering your self, achieving "the inner calm" which is supposedly needed to effectively use mind magic. I didn't believe them very much since I haven't ever been able to access my magic in anything remotely like a calm situation. It would be nice to access my magic with out the apparent "centering" effects of huge doses of adrenalin.

After class most of us went next door to the TV and game room. The boys played video games. Nyu just enjoyed sitting back and teasing the boys about their inability to master the games. I choose pinball. There was a full size old school pinball machine in far right corner. By old school, I me there were no digital lights or components, no mechanical kickers or other contraptions that complicate the modern machines. I wove my magic around myself, and sped up my thoughts, and reactions, and perception of time. The ball moved slower, I reacted quicker and I planned better. I easily racked up the high score and proceeded to tripple. The boys for all their luck and forces couldn't match me. Luck only gets you so far, and forces kept tilting the machine. As the newly crowned pinball wizards, I finally started to relax. Life was starting to look up.

Of course life would interceed, but that is a different story all together.


End file.
